CE gives interview ahead of 3rd anniversary in office
CE gives interview ahead of 3rd anniversary in office
The chief executive gave his views on a range of policies in the run-up to his third anniversary in office. Photo: RTHK
John Lee speaks to Frank Yung on various policies
Chief Executive John Lee is beginning the fourth year of his term in office next month, when the SAR also celebrates its 28th establishment anniversary.
In a wide-ranging interview with media, Lee talked about the government's efforts to bolster the city's economy through connecting with overseas markets.
The SAR leader also gave updates to the Northern Metropolis development, and explained why the city must remain vigilant against national security threats.
Listen to the full interview in English by clicking the play button above.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
41 minutes ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong visitor arrivals up 20% in May, thanks to China's Golden Week holiday, large-scale events
Hong Kong logged 4.08 million visitor arrivals in May, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase, thanks to China's Golden Week holiday and large-scale events that attracted regional tourists, the city's tourism board has said. Citing provisional data, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said on Monday that more than 20 million tourists from around the world visited the city in the first five months of this year – a 12 per cent increase from the same period last year. Visitors from mainland China continued to account for the largest number of arrivals in May, totalling 3.12 million – a 19 per cent year-on-year increase. Non-mainland Chinese visitors rose by 24 per cent in May to over 955,000 people. In the first five months of this year, over 15 million mainland Chinese visitors came to Hong Kong, a 10 per cent increase from the same period last year. Meanwhile, visitors from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines surged by more than 25 per cent year on year over the same period, while Australian visitors increased by over 35 per cent, according to the HKTB. Hong Kong held major cultural events in May, such as the iconic Cheung Chau Bun Festival, the French May Arts Festival, and a special Picasso art exhibition at the M+ museum, as well as meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) events, the HKTB said. The Picasso exhibition, the opening programme of the French May festival, will run until July 13. During the Golden Week holiday, which ran from May 1 to 5, Hong Kong welcomed about 1.1 million visitors – a 22 per cent increase from last year, said Chief Executive John Lee. Hong Kong faces an uphill battle to lure tourists to the city after the city lifted all anti-pandemic travel curbs in early 2023. The provisional arrival figure for May this year still lagged behind that of May 2019, when nearly six million people travelled to the city. During his budget speech in February, financial chief Paul Chan said that the government would allocate over HK$1.23 billion to the HKTB to attract 'high-end visitors' from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
RTHK
4 hours ago
- RTHK
Visitor arrivals in May top 4 million
Visitor arrivals in May top 4 million The Tourism Board says last month's arrivals totalled 4.08 million, representing a 20 percent year-on-year increase. File photo: RTHK Hong Kong saw more than 4 million visitor arrivals in May, fuelled by the mainland's Labour Day Golden Week holiday and citywide events, the Tourism Board said on Monday. In a statement, the board said last month's arrivals totalled 4.08 million, representing a 20 percent year-on-year increase. This surge contributed to a strong first five months of the year, with total tourist arrivals topping 20 million between January and May, a 12 percent rise from the same period last year. About 15.2 million arrivals in the first five months of the year were from mainland, marking a 10 percent rise from the previous year, whereas non-mainland visitors totalled about 5 million, an 18 percent increase, with significant growth from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Airport Authority said it handled 4.86 million passengers in May, an increase of almost 20 percent compared with a year ago. The authority attributed the growth to more transfer and transit passengers, particularly to and from the mainland and Southeast Asia. It added that cargo volume recorded a 1.4 percent year-on-year last month to 422,000 tonnes, supported by a 12.7 percent rise in transshipments, with Europe and the Middle East being key contributors.
RTHK
7 hours ago
- RTHK
HK stocks end up on tech and property plays
HK stocks end up on tech and property plays The Hang Seng Index was up 168.43 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 24,060.99. File photo: RTHK Mainland China and Hong Kong stocks ended slightly higher on Monday, led by property and tech shares, as investors weighed mixed macroeconomic data and remained cautious amid geopolitical tensions that dampened risk appetite. In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index was up 168.43 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 24,060.99. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index climbed 0.86 percent to end at 8,729.99 while the Hang Seng Tech Index rose 1.15 percent to close at 5,299.91. Across the border, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.35 percent at 3,388.73 while the Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.41 percent higher at 10,163.55. China's factory output growth hit a six-month low in May, while retail sales picked up steam, offering relief for the world's second-largest economy amid a truce in its trade war with the United States. The Golden Week holiday and discounts on e-commerce platforms starting in mid-May, ahead of the so-called "618" shopping event, should have helped to boost consumption during the month, said UBS analysts in a note. "But it remains to be seen whether the momentum can sustain, especially as the effects of the consumer trade-in program begin to fade and tariff outlook remains uncertain." Real estate shares traded onshore and offshore were up 2.4 percent and 2 percent, respectively, after the National Bureau of Statistics said efforts to halt the sector's decline were gaining traction. Onshore artificial intelligence shares rose 0.9 percent, while tech majors listed in Hong Kong were up 1.2 percent. New bank lending in China rose less than expected in May after hitting a nine-month low in April, as companies and consumers remained cautious about taking on more debt despite interest rate cuts and a trade truce between Beijing and Washington. (Reuters/Xinhua)
